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Depth a boost for Douglas on winning run

Although it’s early, it still looks good to see your name atop a national poll.
Dylan Kinley
Douglas College's Dylan Kinley, shown defending against Capilano University last year, contributed 19 points in the team's 94-74 victory over Okanagan last week.

Although it’s early, it still looks good to see your name atop a national poll.

The Douglas College Royals continued their hot run to the start of the men’s basketball season, racking up back-to-back wins over the Okanagan College Coyotes last week in Kelowna.

At 5-0 and winning comfortably, all the signs are looking good as the Royals put themselves in line as a provincial power. Head coach Joe Enevoldson, however, knows you can’t put the chicken before the egg.

“I’d just as soon see it later, much later,” Enevoldson said of seeing Douglas first overall in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association weekly poll. “It’s still nice to see that others recognize what we’ve accomplished to date.”

In both games this past weekend, Douglas gathered an early lead and didn’t look back. On Friday, they rode a hot shooting hand, firing 46 percent from the field, with Courtney Anderson netting a game-high 30 points in a 94-67 decision over the Coyotes. He added seven boards. Fifth-year forward Reese Morris counted 13 points and 11 rebounds in his first game back after missing a start due to injury, while Josiah Mastandrea and first-year Jiordano Khan chipped in 13 and 12, respectively.

A day later, guard Dylan McKinley drained back-to-back treys midway through the first quarter to launch a healthy Douglas run in a 94-74 victory.

That game saw the return of UBC transfer Cam Morris, who sat out Friday with an illness. In just 14 minutes of spot time, the younger Morris netted seven points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.

Cam Morris led the league after the opening two weeks with 67 points, but with the missed game now sits seventh overall with an average of 18.5 per game. Anderson holds down third spot, scoring 105 points over five games for a 20.4 average.

“We were very nervous going up (to Kelowna) without Cam,” said Enevoldson. “I thought we played pretty good basketball and we had great contributions from everyone.”

He said the younger Morris brother has made the adjustment smoothly from the U Sports level, and is one reason why the team’s been going very well.

“(Cam) is really happy to get on the floor and just play minutes,” said Enevoldson. “He’s a gifted scorer and we’ve given him free rein to drive the ball to the net.”

The coach also praised the efforts of Burnaby South alumni Aidan Wilson and Khan as first-year players coming off the bench, and the contributions from third-year forward Ben Rabel of Prince George.

The Royals visit Columbia Bible College on Friday, before heading up Burnaby Mountain Saturday for an exhibition test against Simon Fraser University (7:30 p.m.).